Pipe coupling



NOV. 12, 1935. F, JQHNSON 2,020,554

v PIPE coUPLING Filed oct. 30, 1933 ,4r roe/ve rs.

Ijardin:v

rameau@ 12. 193s/ pagina om so, use, sei-m 695,836

Thisinventionrelatestoaciplingsuchas isusedto connectthej'eniis'ofadja-l cent p ipe sections of a pipe line.

The principal object o! the invention is to proV videa coupling of the character and having improved means as a part thereof which will permit an amount of movement of thepipe sections in the coupling housing suiilcient to take 7, care of the movement of or contrac-V tion in the pipe line, but willv prevent excessive movement of the pipe sections in the housing.

, such as would cause a separation of the sections from the coupling.

-Amorespeciilcobiectisto provideapipecoupllng having means 'tor initially gripping the pipe sections to which it is applied witha rela-- tively light spring slipping actiom. but which. upon movement of the pipe sections in the cou- 5 pling' housing' in'excess o! a predetermined A2o amount, wm quickly increase its' gripping action to preyent separation of the pipe sections from the coupling.-

Another object is to provide a` pipe coupling including a hous'ing therewith u2.'pipe grippingmeans which are separate fromthe, housing. but which can applied to the pipe sectionsrsimultaneously with the housing. A further o bject is to" provide' a pipe coupling including a'housing having spring pipe gripping ted therewith which-are so conv-structedthatthegripping means maybe sprung into assembled posmon'irtne houslngandheld therein byits own resilience prior to mounting Y v-the coupling uponpipe'sections of a pipe line. j

will become apparent hereinafter during the de-i tailed-description which is to follow of an embodimentoi the invention.- which embodiment-is illustrated in the where.-

111s a side elevational view partly in sec-v tion and shows the pipe coupling mounted upon 4the juxtaposed ends of adjacent pipe sections of a Npipe/line; Vthis view being taken substantially on line' l-I of Fig. 2,-looking in the direction of thearrows: A s A Y -rigisanend "ishowninrig.-1.thepipesecuonbemgsnown andfshown iisectlon` to illustrate the pipe grip-v detallan@ bottoni of the ripe isrippins- 651 means;

Furtherand additional ohjects and'advantages A elevational view'of the Y 'in cross-section anda ofthepper Y halt ot housing b eing broken away.

ucl-im. (creas-rsi) have moved in the coupling housin and -5 L Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, ut illustrates the position of the pipe gripping means 'after movement ofthe pipe sections has occurred in tcvarioustypes of pipe couplings it-will be shown and describedhereinby way of example as applied to ajpipe coupling-of the typewherein a double-U gasket ismounted in the housing and the interior of the gasket Ais in communication l5 vwith the interior of the pipeline, so as to be subject' to pipe line pressures.`

Referring to the accompanying drawing it will be seen that the coupling housing is formed of two substantially* semi-circular sections lIll 20 adapted to'be positioned varound the juxtaposed ends of adjacent pipei sections and to be clamped thereon by means oi bolts II and nuts I2, said b olts through aligned openings f ormed incooperating-ears or 1118s I3 at the ends of the 25- that said housing sections form acontinuousao f housing embracing the pipe sections. The nous ing sections are'provided intermediate their longitudinal edges with recesses Ifwhich, when the sections are'mounted upon the pipes,V form a continuous'annular recess in which the gasket I5 35 can be arranged.- Although -various forms of gaskets can be mounted in the housing, the gasket I5,- shown herein. has inwardly extending iianges ywhich :grip the pipe ends, while the interior of the gasket 40 is in communication with the interior of the pipes, whereforecthe iianges of the gasket will be' subject to line pressure and thus be held in close engagement with the pipes and provide an effective seal. Since the construction ofA the gasket per se forms no part of the present invention further reference thereto is unnecessary.

The housing sections 1Iii are provideg'on opposite .sides of` the 'recess Il 'with recesses i6 which, when the housing sections are assembled 5o v upon 'a pipe line, form substantially continuous circulan es upon the opposite sidesofthe Pgasket-containing recess; The recesses v I6 have Although the present invention may be applied 10 housing section, wherefore, the gripping members;

cent the recess il and extending substantially parallel to the outer surface of the pipe sections, while theportion Il extends from the portioni'l toward the outer sides of the recesses I6 and are directed angularly inwardly toward the pipe sections, thus providing the recesses i0 with tapered portions. v Arcuate pipe gripping .members i9, preferably substantially semi-circular, are mounted in the recesses i6, such members having their outer surfaces formed with two angularly disposed portions 20 and 2i, similar to the portions I1 and I8 of the bottom wall of the recesses Il. It should be noted, however, that the thickness of the gripping members I! is such that the portions 20 and 2| of their outer surfaces do not contact with the portions I1 and Il oi' the bottom wall of the recesses Il.l

The gripping members II are provided on the portions 2llof their outer surfaces with a plurality of outwardly extending spaced apart projectiom 22 adapted, when the members are mounted in the recesses I 6 to engage the portions I1 of the bottom wall of the recesses I6: A preferable larrangement for the projections 22 is to provide projections at each end of the gripping members I! and a projection midway of the ends thereof. as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The under side of the gripping members I9 is provided with parallel arcuate teeth 23 extending longitudinally of the members; it being noted, however, that the under sides of the members are provided also with smooth portions 24 at each end of the members and smooth arcuate portions 25 intermediate the ends thereof, while the gripping members I9 are ofreduced thickness adjacent the portions 2( and 2i. L l

The gripping members Il are formedfof spring metal andare assembled in the recesses I 8 of the housing sections IQ by being sprung into position in the recesses with the opposite ends oi the mem- -bers engaging peened-over' portions 2l of the.

are held in assembled position in the recesses I6 by their own resiliency and by thepeened-over -portions 26 of the housing sections. The engagement of the projections22 with the portions I1 of the recess deiiect the thinA sectioned portions of the gripping members adjacent to the smooth portionsof their under sides and place the memshown in an exaggerated manner in F152.

When the coupling is arranged on the juxtabers under spring'tension, this deilection being posed ends of adjacent pipe sections, as shown in Fig. 1, initially the teeth23 of the gripping members will lightly bite into the pipes, since the projections 2 2 engagethe portions I1 of thehot-` tom walls of the recesses I8 at the point of great'- est depth of the recesses and the gripping members are allowed to exercise their inherent spring tendency to expand in the recesses i C.

I t is necessary vin pipe coupling cnstruction that movement of the pipes in the coupling be" permitted suiiicient to compensate for the-thermal expansion and contraction oi' vthe pipes. It has been found that Awhere toothed gripping meme bers are arranged inrecesses in the coupling housing and contact with the bottomwall of the recesses throughout substantially the entire outer surface the gripping members the frictional engagement between the members 'and the bottomY wall of the recess is so great as toprevent relative movement between the gripping membersand the housing, with the result that'such a constructionprovides for no movement-of the pipes in' the housing and consequently does not care of the movements of the pipes caused by expansion or contraction thereof.

In the present invention. however, the gripping members only engage the bottom wall of the 1e'` 5 cesses over "relatively smallareas, that is, the

combined area of the projections 22 and hence the friction between the gripping members and the coupling housing is insumcient to prevent relative movement therebetween when the pipes inl0 itially'mov'e in the housing thus allowing for expansion andcontraction of the pipes.

It is necessary, however, that means be pro .vided in a pipe coupling of this character to pre- -the `gripping members are contracted Iinto tighter' ,25

gripping engagement with the pipe wail and at the Sametime the frlctional engagement between the projections 22 and the portions il of the recess wall increases sothat the pipes, the gripping members and the housing are held against 30 movement relative to each other except when .the pipes move 1inwardly with respect to the housing. From the foregoing it willbe noted' that a coupling constructed in accordance with the present invention provides adequate means forpreventing excessive movement of the, pipes in the, housing, while at the= same time allowing sufficient f movement to take care of the expansion andcontraction of the pipes. This result if mplished by providing the relatively small area of engage 40 that since the gripping members are sprung into posmoum thejnounng chutney are applied to T79 the pipes 'simultaneouslywith the housing as disting'uished from those forms of c iupiings wherein y the gripping members must be applied to the pipes prior to the appiication'of housing'frf.,4

' thereto. I

Although a preferredembodiment of 'the in vention has'been illustrated' and described herein it should be understood that the invention'is susceptible of various modifications and adaptations 09 within the scope of thegappended' Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a pipe coupling, acoupling housing having ammira underside, miirlnlnesriiminsf-` member arranged in'said recess and provided er with'm'eans on its vouter sidemed to conflt the bottom wall,oi'saiil-reeuA at a pliii'ality of spacedjpoints of to beoutf contact `a relatively Y iargearea' v v7n 2. Inapipecoupling',acoupiinghousinghav ing arecessinits undersidaandanipeariwlng member arranged in said recess plurality of spaced projections n bottomwaiiofsaidrecmlaidmunbhdngu 'inga 1 ofsaidrecesshavlngcooperatingmeansiorming ing a recess in its yunder a bottom wall formed oi angularly disposed porspaced from said bottom wall intermediate said projections. v

3. In a pipe coupling, a coupling housing havtions one of w 'ch is substantially parallel to the pipes to which the coupling is applied and aninwardly toward .the

is applied and pipes, and a pipe gripping member arranged in said recess and having a plurality or spaced projections contacting the bottom wall of said recess, said member being spaced from said bottom'wall intermediate said projections.

a coupling housing havside. and a pipe gripping 5. In a. pipe. coupling, ing a recess in its under member arranged in said recess, said member and said recess having cooperating portions forming a plurality of cireumferentially spaced relatively small contacting areas between the member and the bottom' wall of the recess and relatively large non-contacting areas between the contacting areas.

6. In a pipe coupling, a coupling housing havrecess in its underside, said recess having a. bottom wall formed of angularly disposed portio ths pipes to which the coupling is applied and another of `which is inclined inwardly toward the pipes, and a pipe in said recess, said member and the bottom wall Y a plurality of circumferentally spaced relamember arranged in being of reduced thickness tively small contacting areas and large noncontacting areas between the contacting coupling housing havand a pipe gripping said recess, d member 'wall of operating portions forming a plurality of relatively small con acting areas and relatively large non-contacting areas therebetween, said member adjacent the contactareas. '1. In a pipe coupling, a ing a recess in its imder side.

ing areas.

8, In a pipe coupling, a coupling hmllllghaving a recess in its under side, and an arcuate spring pipegripp'ing member 'arranged'in-said recess, said member and the bottom wallof said relatively large non-contacting tween, said ho the ends of lsaid membermay be sprung into tained therein by its own resilience 9. In a. pipe coupling, a havaccessi side, said recess having 4 is substantially parallel "to.

the pipes to which the coupling another of which is inclinedinwardly toward the Y one of which is substantially parallel to gripping member munged Vspring pipe g'ppinc -said recess having eo-I member abut, whereby said- Aing a recess in its under side, and an arcuate spring pipe gripping member 4arranged in said recess, said member and the bottom wall of said recess having cooperating portions forming a plurality o relatively small contacting areas and relatively large non-contacting areas therebetween, said member being of. reduced thickness adjacent the said contacting areas, said housing having means against which the ends of said member abut, whereby said member may` be sprung into said recess and retained'therein by its own resilience.

10. In a pipe coupling, a housing having 'an arcuate Vrecess in its under side the bottom wall of which is formed of angularly disposed portions one of which is substantially parallel to the pipe to which the coupling is applied and another of which is inclined inwardly toward the pipe and an arcuate spring gripping member arranged in said recess and having pipe engaging teeth onV its inner side anda pluraity of relatively small projections on its outer side engaging the bottom wall of said recess.

11. In a. pipe coupling, a. housing having'an arcuate recess in its under side thebottomuwall of which is formed of angularly disposed portions one of which is substantially parallel to the pipe to which thev coupling is applied and another 'of which is inclined inwardly toward the pipe, and an arcuate spring gripping member arranged in said recess and having spaced por- 3 tions of its'inner side provided with pipe engaging teeth, said member adjacent the ends of said toothed portions being of reduced thickness and having on its outer side at such points reatively small projections engaging. the bottom wall of 3 said recess.

12. In a pipe coupling, a coupling housinghaving a recess in its underside, and an-arcuate member arranged in said recess, said member being provided on its outer side with a pl 'ty of spaced projections contacting the bottom wall of said -recess wherefore a plurality of 'relatively small contacting areas and relatively large noncontacting areas are formed between the'grpping member and the 4 bottom wall rof said recess, said housing having mea-DS against which the ends o said member abut whereby said v member may be sprung into said recess and retained therein by its own resilience. .r 13. In a pipe coupling, a coupling housing having a recess inits underside, and an arcuateA pipe gripping member arranged in said recess, said member being provided on its outer side with a plurality of spaced projections engaging the bottom wall of said recess wherefore'a pluralityY of relatively small.- contacting areas and relatively large non-contacting areas are formed between ,said member and the bottom wall of said recess, said member being of reduced thickness adjacent the said areas, said 6 housing having means against which the ends of said member abut whereby said member may be sprung into said recess and retained therein by its own`r`esl1ience. 

